


Never Changing Zombies Will Eventually Destroy You

by edlington (stealingtime)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Homophobia, Mild Gore, Misgendering, Multi, Racism, Sexism, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, Violence, Zombie Apocalypse, mentions of rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-11 17:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5636128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stealingtime/pseuds/edlington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three best friends in Vegas with a truck, two rifles, a hammer, and around six baseball bats try to outrun the outbreak of a zombie virus that started in California.<br/>-<br/>One rich heiress and her (unwanted) fiance prepare their home in New York for the apocalypse with the help of the nice fashion designer from down the road and her wife, who showed up armed with a set of kitchen knives and a chainsaw.<br/>-<br/>Two best friends armed with a crossbow and numerous hunting knives and desperate to get out of Arizona rescue a blind woman, a shut-in hacker and a cheerful girl who doesn't seem to mind the dead rising again. (They bring a bullwhip, a sword concealed inside of a cane, and a few throwing stars to the party).<br/>-<br/>A scientist and a gambler from California rush out of San Diego with zombies hot on their tails, a couple of rifles and a machete their only defense against the end of the world.</p><p>
on hiatus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. [lv, nevada]

Your name is Dave Strider, and you fucking  _ detest  _ Las Vegas. You don’t understand why Karkat didn’t just make the leap to California- at least California has fucking beaches. Nevada is just  _ hot _ , but unlike Texas, it’s hot and  _ humid _ . Sadly for you, Las Vegas is almost exactly halfway between your Houston high-rise and the suburban Seattle “private room” John rents, and Karkat’s apartment is big enough for all three of you. 

So you and your two best bros agreed that it would be the best place to stay for a month over the summer together- and you’ve been so fucking excited to see them, too. But John got there the day before you and now you’re stuck in the airport, sitting on your suitcase, waiting for them to get their asses in gear and pick you up. You’d never admit it to them, but you’re tired- you had to take your binder off, and your muscles are sore from the plane, and you just wanna curl up on John and Karkat’s laps and watch some shitty action-rom-com till you fall asleep. 

You’d also never admit that your heart fucking melted like cotton candy in the rain when you saw the short, piercing-studded Indian boy with a scowl on his face and the tall, bespectacled Korean boy walking towards you together, the latter waving. For a moment you forget being cool, forget  _ composure,  _ and you run and leap on your best friends, throwing your arms around them. The moment ends and you cough and step back, your face flushed scarlet (from the heat, you say when John teases you) and metaphorical feathers ruffled. 

“Aww, Strider, we missed you too, you idiot.” Karkat says, a shit-eating grin on his face. You shove at him, and John insists on carrying your lone red duffel-bag to Karkat’s jeep. It’s a Wrangler, candy-apple red and the tiniest damn jeep you’ve seen in your entire life- it’s the type of car you see spotless at the site of an accident, surrounded by the smoking pieces of some German sports car. You love it.  
  
The whole ride back John chatters on about the last 24 hours of him being in Las Vegas, and all the plans for the next month- he’s adorable, really, chatting on and on until you arrive at Karkat’s apartment. 

That evening, Karkat cooks something you can’t pronounce and the three of you end up doing the dishes together before curling up on the couch to watch the  _ news  _ of all things, and it’s so fucking domestic that you catch yourself thinking that living with them forever might not be too bad. 

The television flashes red, and a  _ breaking news  _ banner flashes across before a stern woman dressed in black appears on screen. She talks about a disease in California, people going crazy.Words like  _ danger _ and  _ cannibalism  _ and  _ vaccine gone wrong  _ and  _ stay inside and lock your doors _ fall from her mouth, and when a knock on the door and a scream leads to Karkat opening it to see his neighbor (but with gray skin and a rotting wound and eyes like sulfur) eating the daughter of the couple from upstairs, you realize that living like that with them forever isn’t  _ ever  _ going to be an option again. 

You find yourself thanking Karkat for not moving to California instead of Nevada, for once. 


	2. [rf, new york]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feferi buys out a Costco, and the second group forms.

“Fef, honey, there’s no reason for all of this, let’s just go home-” You cut your fiancé off with a glare, scowling at him as you continue to load up your arms with canned food. Dumping the food into the shopping cart, you drag Eridan to the seeds isle and pick out at least a hundred packets for a mix of vegetables and fruits. 

The outbreak of a virus caused by a test vaccine gone wrong in a research lab in California has thrown everyone off- it’s killing people and then bringing them back as cannibalistic monsters, and it’s already hit the midwest. Most people (like Eridan) think you’re crazy, but you know stocking up before the panic hits your home of Rainbow Falls, New York is the smartest thing to do. 

Driving back out of town with your pink Land Rover stuffed full of canned foods, seeds, warm blankets, and the backup-backup-generator you convinced Eridan was necessary, apocalypse or not. Your estate is out of the way- it’s all gated, high chain-link fences on the edges of the property, barbed wire on the back side. The front is very pretty- a tall wrought-iron gate with a  _ CC  _ on the middle. The house itself is huge- you’ve given the maids and cooks the week off so they can be with their families, so you have room for maybe 12 extra people, 14 if people shared rooms and beds or slept on couches.

You’re prepared, you tell yourself, and Eridan’s loose arm over your shoulders that night when the news tells you that the cannibalistic outbreak has hit Ohio doesn’t comfort you at all. 

You wait, telling yourself that Eridan has a basement room full of harpoon guns and rifles and hunting supplies, and that you’ll be fine. You wait, staring out your front window, waiting for grey-skinned yellow-eyed people to appear and shake your gates. 

You dash outside when you see two people, armed with a chainsaw and kitchen knives.   


“Feferi!” the taller one cries, and you realise that it’s Kanaya, the nice fashion designer who lives down the road and her wife, Rose. “Feferi, open the gates, let us in,  _ please! _ ” Kanaya screams, so you do, the electronic gate swinging open and then shut as soon as they’re in.  
  
Your eyes widen in horror as you see the state they’re in- there’s a rip in Rose’s skirt and mud on her face and hands, and Kanaya has a scrape on her knee and a  _ chainsaw  _ in her hands. 

“Inside, now, _ ”  _ Rose hisses, and you nod, clumsily helping her along and into your house. 

“Eridan!” you scream, “bring the first aid kit!” 

Hours later there’s  _ zombies _ banging against your pretty wrought-iron fence, and your neighbours passed out upstairs, and your fiancé volunteering to keep first watch and trying to find a way to let in more survivors. 

He’s grim when he tells you that you need to be careful- “There will be people lookin’ to take, rather than share, Fef- people who will kill others. If we’re gonna let people in, we gotta have rules, alright?” He says, and you nod, because it’s his home too. 

You don’t sleep well that night. 

The rest of the week is equally horrifying- you let a man in and he ends up with a pistol pointed at Kanaya and soon after, Rose buries her knife in his back. So you lay out rules- everyone has to pull their weight, weapons are kept in the safe unless you’re patrolling the fence, and if you’re asked to leave, you  _ leave _ . 

Kanaya comforts you more than Eridan has- she pats your hair and holds you tight when the news channels stop reporting, when there’s a country-wide blackout and you decide the generator is for water and heating, and light comes after that, and she sews up ripped clothes and as a favour, puts a pink trim on the leather vest you steal from Eridan’s wardrobe. 

She helps you figure out how to tell Eridan that you don’t want to be engaged to him anymore- you only were because of your mother and your company, but you still want him around and he’s  _ family _ even if it’s not like that. She makes you a cup of tea and lets you cry on her after you do. 

You resolve yourself to waiting- you wash clothes, keep watch, eat, sleep, repeat. You wait for the National Guard, the military, for  _ anyone _ to end the madness.  
  
You stare out the window, and you wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates will be sporadic sorry about that


	3. [ph, arizona]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terezi is a cop who gets her ass rescued by a 17 year old girl, and the third group forms.

Your name is Terezi Pyrope, and you are a simple woman- you enjoy your job as a cop, cherry kool-aid, and playing six-minute long guitar solos. You would have been fine on your own in the apocalypse, really- your legal (not full, mind you) blindness really wouldn’t be a detriment. It wasn’t to your job in the field as a cop, and it hasn’t changed your everyday life at all. You would have been  _ fine  _ surviving on your own. 

But you are sworn to the people, and the skinny teenager and the chubby ten year old needed you. So you saved them and now the three of you are holed up in a crappy apartment. The teenager is Sollux, who is desperately trying to get the computer to work, and the ten year old is Aradia, who is humming in the kitchen, clutching the bullwhip she found and staring at the door. 

You have got to get out of here.

“We have got to get out of here,” you say, and Sollux nods. 

Aradia walks back into the main room. “Uh, Miss Pyrope?” She says, and you raise an eyebrow at her. “There’s lots of zombies out on the street- I don’t know if we could make it with Sollux’s asthma.” Sollux scowls at her, and you pat her kinky curls, smoothing them away from her face. You see blood on her face, and your hand shakes when you wipe it off.

“Tho, we’re thtuck.” Sollux lisps, and you nod. “Can’t you thoot the zombies?” You shake your head. 

“Not enough ammo,” you say, and you shut your eyes. You’ve never been in a situation like this before- you don’t have any backup. You’re low on ammo, and the sword concealed inside your cane can only do so much damage. 

You wait for a day, eating the perishables first and packing canned food into a backpack along with a few clothes and some blank notebooks. You’re about to try and make a break for it, consequences be damned, when a person skids down the fire escape and into the kitchen behind you. 

Your gun is raised and pointed at them (Sollux tells you she’s a girl) and you snarl. 

“Woah, lady, look, I’m here to help! We have a car downstairs, we’re gonna try and head to the other side of the country, outrun the disease!” Sollux whispers that her hands are raised (You miss your partner) and you lower your gun. 

“Terezi Pyrope,” you say, sticking out your hand. The girl comes forwards and places her hand in yours. 

“Nepeta Leijon, at your service, ma'am,” she says, shaking firmly. You cackle when she calls you ma'am. 

Nepeta guides you down the fire escape and shows a hell of a lot of promise with her hunting knife, and the kids jump into the waiting SUV through the sunroof, you clambering through after. 

Introductions are made as you drive- you’re Terezi Pyrope, the cop, the driver is Equius Zahhak, mechanic. Nepeta tells you that she’s Equius’s younger stepsister, only 17, and Sollux introduces himself as a “haxxor” and “16 years young”. Aradia says her name and then, after what appears to be a long period of consideration, decides that her occupation is “fourth grader and Sollux’s boss.” Sollux doesn’t protest this.  

You, Equius, and Nepeta decide that either Florida or Washington D.C are your best bets- you decide to try Washington first, and maybe New York if that doesn’t work out. Nepeta comments on how Aradia and Sollux don’t look like your kids (makes sense, as you’re Maori, and Sollux and Aradia look as if they’re a Korean/Black mix) and you shake your head and tell her you don’t know what happened to their parents. 

Nepeta almost cries when you say that, and you tell her that because you are sworn to the people, you are sworn to those two damn kids. Equius commends you, and Nepeta thanks you for trusting her- she tells you that you and the kids were the only people left alive in the apartment.  
  
She tells you that the “biters” as she calls them only die with a wound to the brain- the longer they’ve been dead, the easier they are to kill. She tells you headshots and stabs to the eye are your best bets at a guaranteed death with them. 

You’re almost glad that you can’t really see them- Sollux tells you which are walkers and where to aim, and you think you make a pretty good team. But you wonder if you’d be able to shoot them if you could see that they used to be people, if you could see the details of their faces and their bodies and their clothes. 

You shake off the thought and decide that maybe sleeping is the best plan as Nepeta takes over driving. It’s starting to get dark as you drift off to sleep, you thank your lucky stars for the two step-siblings and the kids.  
  
They’re your backup now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god another chapter go me  
> im currently on summer vacay (i live in nz) so updates will remain sporadic until i start school. when i start school im gonna try and update every friday or saturday. 
> 
> n-e-ways! Equius is cherokee and nepeta is french/japanese B) just figured i'd mention it idk?
> 
> my blog is skullkidofficial.tumblr.com if you wanna send an ask!


	4. [sd, california]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Doctor Jade Harley (PhD) loses her shit, and a certain Marquise joins her for the end of the world.

“I WILL KILL YOU, YOU FUCKASS!” You howl, and your fist slams into Dr. Scratch’s face again. “YOU KNEW, YOU ALWAYS KNEW, YOU’VE  _ KILLED US ALL!”  _ You scream, and the doctor is bloody and wheezing but he still smirks up at you, all charm and pomp. 

“I never knew, Miss Harley, but I am the only one with a chance to cure it, aren’t I?” He smirks, and your fist crashed against his nose, a sickening crack echoing around the lab. 

“I should kill you now,” you pant, wiping your mouth. “I can cure your damn virus, Scratch! I’m going to save the damn world, and you aren’t going to fuck it up this time,” you spit, and his smirk falters. The smirk fades completely when you tape his hands to the chair, and you pick up the rifle you left by the door and walk away. 

He screams after you, about how you can’t just leave him for dead, and you kill three of his abominations on the way out of the building. 

You get into your truck and you drive, you drive on the back roads and country plains until you hit the traffic jam. You’re about to get out of your car and take your tramping pack full of gear and just fucking  _ gap it  _ to the other side of the country- you have a contact who’s waiting for you in NYC, you just have to  _ get there.  _

The sweaty blonde girl climbing into your car and telling you to get the fuck down was never part of the plan, but then again, neither were fucking zombies.

“Who the  _ fuck  _ are you?” You hiss, and she shushes you. She’s curvy, wearing a blue leather jacket covered in patches and dark leather boots. Her hair is thrown back in a messy bun and one eye is covered by an eyepatch. 

“You can call me V for now, and get down if you want to avoid the fucking zombies!” She hisses back, scowling at you. Something thuds against the back of your car and you yank the keys out of the ignition, holding your breath. 

You do your best to block out the screaming that comes from the highway before you and the explosions from the city behind you. V dares to peek up and then ducks back down, turning to you. “Look, I have no idea who you are but you are armed and didn’t kick me out of your car, so right now, you’re an ally to me. If you grab your pack and your gun we can get into the woods on foot, and keep moving from there. You in?”

You stop for a second, staring at her- and then you decide  _ fuck it,  _ and you grab your pack and your rifle and you nod. “Lead the way, Miss V,” you say, and she opens the door and you both climb out as quietly as possible, slowly making your way to the side of the road. V jumps it and you follow, heading into the dark woods and away from the wreckage of civilization. 

You make camp for the night in the woods, and V starts asking you things. Your name, where you’re from, about your family. 

You falter when she asks about your job. “I- I’m a doctor. Two PhD’s, actually- Medical Biology and Astrophysics.” V laughs, and you turn to look at her, the fire flickering in front of you. “Do I get a name yet, or do I have to keep calling you V?” You say, and she grins at you. 

“Ah, yes,” she says, standing. “I, dear Doctor Harley, am Marquise Vriska Spinneret Madeline Serket, scourge of the casinos of the USA.” She bows, and then sits down again, laughing. “I was a gambler, and I was good at it- I had all of the luck, Harley. Aaaaaaaall of it.” 

You giggle at her antics. “Well, we’re pretty lucky to have each other! I don’t think survival on your own will be very easy now,” and Vriska nods. 

The two of you take out more walkers as you keep moving, and you tell her about your contact in NYC. She, in turn, tells you about a cousin who lives in Rainbow Falls, New York, and how that’s her only family left.“She’s alive, I know it- fussy as she was, girl could fuck you up. She socked me in the nose when I announced I was leaving our shithole family for good, almost broke it. I just hope she’s willing to take me in, Vriska says, leaning against you one night, almost a week after you left San Diego. You think you’re in either Arizona or Nevada, because the trees have thinned out and you and Vriska have decided to steal a car now that you’re in the desert. 

You tell Vriska that she’s always welcome to come and save the world with you. “If the Marquise is the world saving type, of course,” you add, nudging her.   


She laughs, and tells you to go to bed. “The Marquise may not be the saving the world type, but she will take first watch. Try and catch a few Z’s, Doctor Harley”.  
  
You stay up a little longer and watch her sit up, your rifle propped against the rock she’s leaning against. (You think you’ve found a good partner for the end of the world.) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i really love jade and i also really love vriska... so this was super fun to write. (also kanaya and vris are cousins in this because reasons). N E WAYS, now that all the groups r togther I CAN WRITE ACTUAL RAD STORY and i have so many plans!!!!!!!
> 
> back to john and dave and karkles next chapter!
> 
> you can get in touch with me at http://skullkidofficial.tumblr.com/


	5. [the end of the world chateau, wyoming]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave comes to the conclusion that no, you can't trust anyone anymore. (John and Karkat regret not listening to him).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for this chapter:  
> \- graphic violence  
> \- child death/abuse  
> \- non consensual drug usage  
> \- minor mention of group sex (members implied to be under the influence)  
> \- drug usage  
> \- repeated misgendering 
> 
> stay safe babes. there's a summary of the chapter in the end notes.

“Welcome to The End of The World Chateau, friends!” A man with juggalo face paint on welcomes you, and you’re really glad you convinced Karkat to park farther away and act like you don’t have a car, because this place looks like a fucking cult whorehouse. “My motherfuckin name is Gamzee, and I represent the mirthful motherfucking messiah's during this fucking end of days.” 

“Pleasure,” your grit out, and John elbows you. 

You go inside the Chateau, and your hand doesn’t leave the rifle you stole in Utah. There’s an orgie waiting inside, and the whole place is hazy with smoke. Karkat pulls his bandanna over his face. 

Gamzee is white as paper and tall and lanky, no muscle- Karkat or John could take him no problem. The thought makes your grip on your rifle loosen. You wonder about the rest of his group- you’ve been having a hard time trusting people, since this whole thing started. John and Karkat tell you that you should trust people, you don’t know how many are left. You don’t- mostly because you know that there’s no cops anymore, no consequences. You can’t break the law when there’s no fuckin legal system. 

“Why don’t you come with me, wicked sister?” He leers at you, and you’re about to turn on your heel and get the fuck out when John looks at you, eyes begging you to just go with it. They make you leave your bat and rifle at the door, but the little knife hidden under your jeans is still there, giving you some sense of security. You do need supplies, and you can’t lose John and Karkat, which leaving might do- so you smile and follow Gamzee up the stairs while another juggalo leads John and Karkat away. “You can stay in here, he says, and he closes the door behind you. 

You whip around, trying the door handle, but you hear the click of the lock from the other side. “Patience, wicked sister! Don’t you worry, I’ll be back!” You swear and are about to start screaming when a small hand is placed on your shoulder. 

“Don’t yell- he’ll hurt you and your friends, miss,” a little girl says, looking up at you with wide green eyes. “I was bestest friends with his little brother, see, and he hurt him real bad and then he hurt me, too.”

You do your best to mask your horror and crouch down, lifting your shades. “I’m Dave,” you say, “and I promise I will get us out of here.” You hold out your hand for a fist bump. 

The girl nods, shyly, and then reaches out her tiny little fist to bump yours. “I’m Meulin, mister Dave,” she says. 

You stand up, yanking your knife out of your boot as you do. “Alright, Meulin,” you say, gritting your teeth. “Let’s blow this joint.” 

Meulin sits patiently on the bed as you do your best to pick the lock- she explains that this is her house, and Gamzee most likely killed her parents and his own brother. It just makes you try harder, and eventually you get it. You have to bite your tongue to stop yourself from shouting at your victory. 

“Alright, Meulin, stay close to me, okay? We have to be very, very quiet now,” you whisper, and she nods. 

You edge down the hall and then the stairs, and your hand is on the door, ready to take Meulin back to your car when a gunshot rings out. 

“That was a fucking warning, wicked sister- we don’t take kindly to people up and taking what’s ours,” Gamzee says, and you usher Meulin behind you. 

“She ain’t ‘yours’, you fucking psychopath, and neither am I,” you spit, snarling at Gamzee. “And that’s wicked  _ brother _ to you, you crazy shitface.” You try and open the door behind you and he shoots again, this time the bullet whizzing past your ear. 

“Bring ‘em out, boys! Look like our wicked sisters need some convincing’ to motherfuckin stay put.” Gamzee calls, and two musclebound goons drag out two lifeless bodies, an adult and a child, both with the same juggalo face paint sloppily applied. A third guy drags out a very much conscious and tied up John, and then you realize the unconscious adult is  _ Karkat.  _ John struggles and strains against both his bindings and the man holding him. 

“Kurloz!” Meulin cries, running towards him. You hold her back and she fights against you, starting to cry. 

You’re about to explain, to try and bargain, and Gamzee puts the barrel of the gun against the little boy’s head. “Tick motherfucking tock, ladies,” he sing-songs. You’re going to put your knife down when all hell breaks loose. 

Meulin bites your arm and runs towards the boy, Kurloz, while John slams his head into the guy who’s holding him’s face, before diving for Karkat. Gamzee’s gun fires and it’s like slow motion, watching the bullet go through Kurloz and hit Meulin squarely in the chest, her shock and surprise and pain written clearly on her face as she falls back. 

You let out an ungodly howl and throw the knife in your hand. 

It hits Gamzee straight in the chest and he looks down, stunned, before pulling it out. Blood spurts from the wound and you grab your baseball bat from it’s place next to the door and charge. John uses your knife to free himself after grabbing it from where it was on the floor and you slam the bat in your hands into the face of one of the thugs, before turning and hitting the other before he can grab you. You just keep hitting the second one, tears streaming down your face, blood splattering up at you. 

You don’t stop until John drags you off of him, telling you that you have to go. He’s got Karkat in a fireman’s carry and he’s crying too, you realize, and you let him pull you out of the house and to the car. 

You cling to Karkat and cry while he drives you away from the Chateau as fast as he can. When Karkat wakes up he’s confused and you give him water and explain, and the horror on his face as you tell him about Meulin and Kurloz is immeasurable, and he swears to you when you make camp that night that he will never not trust your judgement. John explains that they were knocked out when you were separated and were then going to be drugged- Karkat was before you got out of that room. John tells you how scared he was for you, what they would do to you, and you tell them that they are never leaving your sight again.

You hold them close that night, and you cry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you skipped the chapter: john, dave, and karkat arrive at a mansion called "the end of the world chateau" and are separated and taken captive under the guise of hospitality from a man named gamzee. dave meets a young girl who explains that the chateau was her home and that her parents where killed and her best friend was also taken captive. dave and the girl escape, only for john, and an unconscious karkat and meulin's friend to be brought out as leverage. gamzee kills the boy (kurloz) and meulin, and dave proceeds to kill gamzee and multiple unnamed thugs. dave, karkat and john escape and karkat explains he was drugged and that john would have been next if not for dave. dave deals with the trauma of not saving meulin.   
> -  
> hey guys! lots of angst this chapter. bad people will do bad things when there's nobody to stop them! i considered making the chateau a multi-chapter thing but i decided not to, mostly for my own sake.   
> you can message me at http://skullkidofficial.tumblr.com/ and it would be awesome if you left a comment! 
> 
> thanks for reading :^)


	6. [crocker-peixes mansion, new york]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feferi settles things with Eridan once and for all.

“Feferi, we need more food,” Rose says, and you nod. “A supply run, perhaps?” She suggests, and you nod again. 

“You go. Take whoever you want- not Kanaya and Eridan, though. Keep it small.” You say, lifting your head from the map you’re glaring at. Rose sits down next to you and puts a hand on your shoulder. 

It’s been weeks since this disaster started. You, Eridan, Kanaya and Rose’s group has grown- a young girl named Meenah and her girlfriend Aranea, and a family of four- two adults and two teenagers. It’s been stressful, keeping them all under control and safe, and since you called things off with Eridan all of the pressure has fallen on you. Rose and Kanaya do their best to help, but they can’t do much. Eridan does his part, but he does it shittily and reluctantly unless it’s patrolling. 

You don’t know how much longer you can keep this up, without Eridan.    
  
“Do you think he would help more, if I took it back? If I just agreed to be his wife?” You say, and Rose’s grip tightens on your shoulder. 

“Maybe,” she whispers, and you look up. “But you can’t. He’s weak, Fef, and that’s why he’s doing this- to spite you and to make you pity him and yourself enough to take him back.” Rose stands. “You’ll be okay without him, Feferi. You’re strong,” she says, and then her voice drops to a whisper. “He’s  _ not _ .” There's a darkness in her tone that scares you.   


Later you open the gates and let her leave in the truck Meenah arrived in, and you have this strange, empty feeling in your chest. 

The feeling lingers as you help cook lunch, grilling vegetables and small portions of meat. It stays when Eridan fills Rose’s usual seat at your side and you ignore him as you eat, digging into your spam and peppers. 

It goes, when you stand up to leave, and it’s replaced by a painful clench in your stomach as he grabs your wrist and tells you to wait. You whirl around, fury in you eyes. 

“Let _go_ of me!” You hiss, and he steps back, eyes wide. “You have done nothing to help this camp since I left you and you are _moping_ about it! I am not going to marry you and it doesn’t even matter anymore because the world has gone to shit! _Leave me alone!”_ Your voice has raised to a yell, and Eridan looks properly shamed. 

“I’m sorry, Fef,” he mumbles, and you turn around and walk out of the room. 

The tears start when you’re alone in your room, and you send Kanaya away when she comes to comfort you. This was your burden to bear, and you would bear it alone. 

You drag yourself out of bed and help Rose inventory the food and supplies they brought back at sundown, and you listen to Kanaya and Aranea happily banter as they make dinner in the kitchen.   


You eat in silence and ignore how people look at you when they think you can’t see them.  
  
“You look stronger,” Rose says before you go to bed. “Like an Empress, maybe. I’m proud,” she says, pressing a motherly kiss to your forehead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this is a filler chapter honestly. im suffering through a bit of writer's block atm, so i hope you enjoy!  
> my tumblr is http://queerpiratekid.tumblr.com/ now!


	7. [flg, arizona]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terezi and crew make some new friends.

You wake up in the back of a truck, hurtling along a road, with the desert whispering past you on both sides. You think it’s dark- all the shapes are blurrier than usual and tinted with the strange colors of a sunrise, and you have two small forms curled against your chest. “You awake, Terezi?” Nepeta whispers, and you sit up carefully, shifting Sollux and Aradia heads to your lap. 

“Yeah, Nepeta. Where are we?” You ask quietly, and you hear a thud as Nepeta shimmies out the window and lands next to you. You lean back again, looking up at the dark blue mass of the sky above you, no detail offering itself to you. 

You hear Nepeta lower herself down next you you, and she sighs. “Just outside of Flagstaff. We’ve seen a couple of biters on the road, but no survivors.” She reaches her arm out puts her hand on Sollux’s shoulder- whether it’s to comfort the sleeping boy or herself, you’re not sure.  

The sun continues its ascent, things becoming slightly more defined as light washes over the desert around you. Aradia and Sollux wake up, and Nepeta and Equius take turns driving as you watch the kids. 

You’re staring out into the empty desert, looking for movement. You feel Aradia’s hand suddenly grip your shoulder, and you pull your gun, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. 

“Survivors!” Equius calls, and the truck comes to a stop, dust billowing. You hiss at Aradia to stay down and you let Sollux lead you out of the boot of the truck. 

“Be careful, kid. You’re my eyes,” you say, and Sollux squeezes your hand to let you know he heard. 

Two blurred figures emerge from the dust, maybe more- you can’t see anything definite usually, much less in this dust. As it settles, Sollux taps your hand twice. He’s barely done and your gun is raised to eye level and you aim it the best you can at one of the shapes. 

“Left by nine degrees, TZ,” Sollux whispers, and you adjust your aim accordingly. 

The two figures raise their arms, and Nepeta calls out. 

“Who are you?” She yells, and one of the others steps forwards to call back. 

“My name is Doctor Jade Harley, and I don’t think you want to kill me!” A high, bright voice calls out. 

“Vriska Serket, and I’m the Doc’s bodyguard for this bullshit apocalypse!” The other yells, and you hear the first one laugh. “Who’re you punks!?” The second one continues to yell, and you lower your gun. 

“Officer Terezi Pyrope, if we’re being formal! This is my charge, Sollux,” you say, lifting a hand in greeting. 

“Fuck, you have kids? Are they ok?” The first one, Dr. Harley, yells. 

Sollux snorts, stepping forwards. You put a warning hand on your shoulder, reminding him that  _ things aren’t the same  _ and he stops. You think he’s smirking at you. “All good,” he yells. 

The two women are finally close enough for you to see that there is a distinctive difference- a blonde and a brunette. They both smell like blood and dirt and there’s not a car anywhere in sight. You’re impressed that they’ve survived in the desert with so little. 

You all load up in the truck and start driving- Harley tells you that she’s heading for a research facility in New York, and Serket is looking for her cousin in the same area. You feel Harley stiffen when Nepeta asks what she researched- before letting out a shaking sigh and explaining. 

“I was the second-in-command to the man responsible for the Zombie Virus,” She says, and before you can talk she continues- “And I’m going to fix this. Somehow I’ll fix it.” 

She squeaks when Aradia leans over and wraps her arms around her middle. 

“I trust you, Dr. Harley,” she says, and Harley laughs, shining and clear. 

“You can call me Jade, Aradia,” she says. 

You may not know what your plan is, but you know that you’re gonna get her to New York if it’s the last thing you do. 

You drive through Flagstaff a few hours later and Vriska steals an abandoned car. You and Sollux ride with her, and you end up listening to them playing “I Spy” for most of the ride. 

“Hey, Pyrope,” Vriska says, and you turn towards her. “You like Skittles?” 

“Oh hell yeah!” You say, grinning wide, and Vriska laughs at you. You hold out your hand and she dumps a few of the little candies into it before handing them back to Sollux. 

“Jeez, just like a regular road trip. Are you my mommy now, VK?” Sollux says sarcastically, and Vriska  _ cackles  _ at him. 

“Yea, and I say you’re grounded, so suck it, kid.” She replies. 

“What? TZ, make her take it back!” 

You laugh at Sollux’s desperate tone. “Sorry, Mr. Sarcasm, but a Mom’s word is law! And as an officer of the law, it’s up to me to keep that law upheld!”  

Sollux whines about the unfairness from the back seat, and you stare at the blurring shapes as night starts to fall.  
  
_ Just like a real road trip _ , you think. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few things- one, im sorry it's been so long! and im also sorry to tell you that it will probably be a while before i continue writing this.   
> second- i'm working on a webcomic! the tag for it on tumblr is http://queerpiratekid.tumblr.com/tagged/gamma-omega-sigma/ and it's probably the thing that's causing me to put off ncz the most.

**Author's Note:**

> ive been watching The Walking Dead and now im writing zombie au fanfic. coincidence? i think not  
> i just wanted to write something from a lot of different POVs and set across a wide variety of locations, so why not a zombie roadtrip!
> 
> the title of this came from a clickbait headline generator, the keyword was "zombies"  
> anyways there'll be more to this, hopefully i'll update regularly.  
> happy 2016!


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